CARLSBAD, Calif. — The impending free agency of both Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole following the 2019 season affords the Astros “more comfort” in a longer-term deal during their search for starting pitching during this offseason.

The departure of Charlie Morton and Dallas Keuchel into free agency, along with Lance McCullers Jr.’s Tommy John surgery, necessitates Houston replace 500 innings of starting pitching this winter.

Verlander and Cole are under Astros team control for only one more season, ostensibly creating the same scenario next offseason.

"Knowing that we've got two more potential free agents next year gives us more comfort in extending beyond, maybe doing more years for somebody that we bring in," general manager Jeff Luhnow said Wednesday. "We're going to have two more open spots next year. That being said, a lot of our surplus of pitching in the minors is in the upper minors and guys that are going to be ready."

Believing in that glut of pitching populating the farm system is noble. So, too, is preparing for some to not fulfill expectations. It’s an almost indiscernible line Luhnow and the organization must balance while surveying the market.

“You can’t predict the future," Luhnow said.

Framber Valdez, Josh James and Cionel Perez — the three internal rotation options who made their major league debuts this season — combined to start eight big league games and throw 71 ⅓ innings.

How they respond to a full season’s workload — should they be bestowed one — is impossible to predict.

Touted prospects Forrest Whitley and J.B. Bukauskas each endured curtailed minor league seasons while combating injuries and/or suspensions. Rogelio Armenteros and Trent Thornton have no major league experience.

“We’re going to have a couple really good pitchers emerge from that group but there will be a couple that will probably underperform,” Luhnow said. “We expect to be contending for the next five years and we’re going to need starting pitchers. Not everyone is going to meet that threshold.”